The Wasp — March 12, 1880 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of The Wasp Page 548 The page features two main sections: **Top Section - "The Giant Among Giants"**: A biographical sketch of M. Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer famous for constructing the Suez Canal. The text praises his accomplishments and notes he's undertaking a major project (likely the Panama Canal attempt, though not explicitly named here). The accompanying illustration shows two men in period dress, presumably depicting Lesseps. **Bottom Section - "Sacramento"**: A letter dated March 17, 1880, discussing California state politics, liquor licensing, and railroad business. It references specific political figures and disputes over monopolies and corporate practices in Sacramento. The page is primarily text-based satirical commentary rather than visual political cartoons, typical of 19th-century satirical magazines.